Guy Pearce almost passed on the L.A. Confidential role that would cement his place in Hollywood history. Cast as the straight-laced detective Ed Exley in the neo-noir film, Pearce, whose breakout role in the Australian comedy The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert brought him international attention, delivered a performance that elevated the story of LAPD officers in 1950s Hollywood to an enduring legacy in American crime dramas. Despite his later success with films like Christopher Nolan’s Memento, Pearce’s path to the role was far from straightforward, marked by a near-rejection of Hollywood altogether.

https://screenrant.com/la-confidential-guy-pearce-rejected-almost-factoid/